LIONEL MESSI HAS won the seventh men’s Ballon d’Or of his illustrious career at a ceremony in Paris.
The Paris St Germain forward saw off competition from Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski and Chelsea midfielder Jorginho.
During his speech, however, Messi singled out for praise Polish star Lewandowski, who missed out on a Ballon d’Or last year when organisers France Football controversially decided — in July — that the pandemic’s disruption of the football calendar made it impossible to judge the year fairly. Lewandowski finished the calendar year with a world’s best 47 goals, winning a domestic double and Champions League with Bayern.
Describing it as “a real honour to compete with” Lewandowski, Messi added:
Everyone knows and was in agreement that you should have won it last year. I think France Football should award you your 2020 Ballon d’Or. You deserve it and you should have it at home.
Meanwhile, Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas took home the women’s Ballon d’Or after starring in a league, cup and Champions League treble for Barcelona.
👸 𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃@alexiaputellas @FCBfemeni #BallondOr pic.twitter.com/I1jtxZ5rZH
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 29, 2021
The 27-year-old’s Barca team-mate Jennifer Hermoso was second, with Chelsea forward Sam Kerr third and Arsenal striker Vivianne Miedema fourth.
Argentina international Messi claimed a maiden Copa America title with his country during the year and was top scorer in La Liga for the 2020-21 season with 30 goals as Barcelona finished third.
The 34-year-old also helped Barca win the Copa del Rey before moving to PSG in the summer.
He had collected the honour for a record sixth time in 2019 – one ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo – before the awards were cancelled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Earlier, Manchester United forward Ronaldo – who came fifth – dismissed claims from French journalist Pascal Ferre that his main aim is to finish his career with more Ballon d’Or wins than Messi.
Ronaldo did not attend Monday’s event at the Theatre du Chatelet in the French capital but responded to Ferre, the editor of France Football – organisers of the Ballon d’Or, on social media.
“Pascal Ferre lied, he used my name to promote himself and to promote the publication he works for,” Portugal international Ronaldo posted on Instagram.
“It is unacceptable that the person responsible for awarding such a prestigious prize could lie in this way, in absolute disrespect for someone who has always respected France Football and the Ballon d’Or.”
Poland international Lewandowski, 33, who was widely expected to win last year, finished second after scoring 38 goals in 30 league games for Bayern in 2021, in addition to winning the Bundesliga.
Meanwhile, Jorginho finished third after a year in which he helped Italy to glory at the delayed Euro 2020 after lifting the Champions League trophy with Chelsea in May.
Chelsea also won the club of the year award.
Congrats @frankirby! 👏#BallonDor pic.twitter.com/6yXpIwRYz1
— Lionesses (@Lionesses) November 29, 2021
The Blues’ Fran Kirby was the highest-ranked England player for the women’s award, finishing 10th.
Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling was the highest-ranked England player for the men’s award, finishing 15th, with compatriots Mason Mount, Harry Kane and Phil Foden 19th, 23rd and 25th respectively.
Barcelona and Spain midfielder Pedri won the Kopa Trophy, the award presented to the best-performing player under the age of 21.
The 19-year-old was selected immediately ahead of England and Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham, while Manchester United’s Mason Greenwood was fifth and Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka sixth.
Gianluigi Donnarumma of Italy and PSG won the Yashin Trophy as goalkeeper of the year, while Lewandowski – whose 41 Bundesliga goals in the 2020-21 campaign broke Gerd Muller’s long-standing season record – was crowned striker of the year.
What a joke, lewandowski deserved last year’s and this years a farce.
@Pauly Kel: true but I think the year Modric won should’ve gone to Messi, that year was change for changes sake and perhaps maybe cost Lewandowski his legitimate claim (as warped the politics surrounding that sentence is)
@John Black: although I believe Lewendowski should have won it this year, Messi picking it up is not as outrageous as people are making out. Messi was unreal last season.
When Modric won the award, that was genuinely outrageous.
He’s got it this award for what he has done over the course of his career which isn’t right. He has not been the best player in the world for the last 2 years
Forget Messi v lewandowski the real travesty is jorjinho in 3rd. Class player but probably the least deserving top 3 finish ever. And before the Chelsea fans go off on me ye were on this very app after the fa cup final a few months ago saying he wasn’t good enough and on top of that he was booed on and off the field at Stamford Bridge for a few games last season .
@WESHALLNOTBEMOVED: you’ll be a while waiting to find a Chelsea fan I suspect
@Conor J Morris: they’ll all be asleep by now. Got school in the morning
@WESHALLNOTBEMOVED: they’re all man city fans now
Load of bollix
@John Kelly: tell us what u really think John!
@Paul Owens: load a bollix Paul
A travesty! Harry Maguire should have won
He must have had an amazing year…. Oh wait…
Just another corrupt organisation nothing to see here.
Scored 30 goals an won a international trophy not a bad year for him still think he wasnt the best but jorginho 3rd is a bit of joke really way better out there than him
Any one from league of Ireland considered
While it was close between Messi and Lewa, calling it a joke result or fix is insane. He had more Goals/Assists combined than anyone, most Man of the Match, and basically dragged Argentina to the Copa, in the Maracana vs Brazil. Lewa scored buckets of goals vs the German league, where both Timo Werner and Aubameyang scored 30 goals in a season.
@Chris Rea: *Lewy
This guy is a spooofer & a cod!
@Alan Roche: something fishy going on?
@Alan Roche: I dont sea your point. if you think of a Betta pun, drop us a line.
@Paul Whitehead: I’m sure the next one will put you in your Plaice.
Robski totally deserved it ! Farce
It would be a lot better if you could only win the award one time
@Jackie Walsh: presume that’s a joke Jackie. I don’t agree with the result. I think 1st and 2nd should be the other way around but your solution would devalue the prize…
Four goals in the farmer’s league this season, anonymous against Man City which is the sort of game he’s paid all that money to win for PSG. Meanwhile Mo Salah has 17 goals in probably the world’s best league and what looked like a very tough UCL group at the outset.
@Fifty Shades of Sé: didn’t Messi score against City in the first game?
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Thought Lewandowski should have won it but Messi was class last year. More goals and assists than anyone else and single handedly kept a terrible Barca in touching distance.